KATRINA AND THE DOWN FALL OF BUSH

The late and limited reaction of Bush (and his administration) following the disaster caused by the hurricane Katrina on 25 August, 2005, was (according to biographers) the moment of the down fall of George W. Bush. It is also the moment that transits of Saturn and Pluto (two prominent planets in the natal chart of GWB) hit the cornerstones of his natal and progressed charts. Things went wrong (Saturn) and life at the Oval Office became difficult (Pluto). He entered a period in his life filled with hectic situations and controversies (Uranus = ASC/MC in the progressed chart) or...he became controversial at that moment. Note that Uranus is the planet rising before the Sun in his natal chart! The most important planets in his natal chart were on the angles of his (progressed and natal) chart, indicating a crucial moment in life.

In the natal chart of GWB Saturn already makes a square with the Midheaven, telling us that there might be a hard end to his career (among other things). Pluto is angular and that is a symbol of the meaning of power and politics in his life. The prominence of the two planets makes the transits of Saturn and Pluto extra important.
Sun and Pluto are 'calling' in his chart. The prominence of Uranus is an indication for the importance of the later progressed square. It is easy to see the combination of the controversial political leader and manager (Uranus, Pluto, Sun and Saturn are prominent).

The biographers are right. Katrina (or the way he dealt with the hurricane) meant the end (Saturn on ASC, Pluto opposition MC) of the political career of Bush, problems (Pluto) with his status and position (Saturn and MC) and hard political confrontations and the start of being the most controversial president of the USA ever. ...And all that happened with progressed Sun/Moon conjunct progressed Venus and Jupiter, just when he needed to relax and enjoy a nice and easy life. It is also THAT midpoint combination that promises support. That is maybe the reason that he still is the president, in spite of the hard transits in August 2005.


More about Saturn and Pluto... on my site Astromarkt.

Arrrest of Steve Gerrard

Steven Gerrard, football player and Member of the Order of the British Empire, has been arrested (and released on bail) on December 28, charged with taken part in violent assault and affray in a bar fight (that badly injured a man's face).
There are a few important and significant clues in the positions at the day of his birth and in the transits and progressions that I like to show you. It is about:

- Sun and Mars, square with Mars and Uranus, quintile
- Transit Saturn conjunct (progressed) Saturn
- Transit Neptune with Sun
- Transit Uranus with Pluto

Most of the above mentioned combinations have been mentioned before on this blog and the frequent visitor will immediately recognize the patterns of 'short temper', 'disadvantage of age/responsibilities', 'being seen in a negative light' and 'arrest, sudden dramatic change'.

SUN-MARS-URANUS
On Gerrard's birthday Aries Point was opposition Mars/Pluto, Sun was tightly square Mars and Mars was biquintile Uranus. Sport is one of the ways to deal with or use an overload of agression and energy. With Sun square Mars life is strongly related to using energy, being active and sometimes aggressive ('me first', to score and get things done). With Mars biquintile Uranus means: a creative (quintile) way to explode. See the article on Astromarkt.

SATURN-SATURN, coming of age
We see Transit Saturn conjunct progressed Saturn (facing facts of life, the disadvantage of age, status). When a person has to face limitations, responsibilities and debts or guilt there is always a Saturn-Saturn combination. We all have such a combination at age 30 and age 60, when we become adults or aged and when time suddenly starts counting.

NEPTUNE-SUN, suspected...
Negative (Neptune) spotlight (Sun), that is often the combination of Sun and Neptune and only if you are lucky enough to have the transitting or progressed trine you might experience being worshippoed (and that is in fact another way to be seen as others want you to see at a certain moment in time).

Transit Neptune is sesquisquare the Progressed Sun in his chart and inconjunct progressed Mars. Begin a suspect is one of the possible meanings of Neptune - Sun transits (see the post about missing persons and the persons involved, scroll down for the link). Neptune is also square his natal Uranus (as the progressed Sun is afflicting Uranus in the year to come).

URANUS-PLUTO FOR ARREST
There is also transit Uranus inconjunct Pluto, very significant, since Uranus-Pluto combinations are often involved with arrest. The combination means 'sudden and unespected dramatic change'.

Bad times don't show up with only one transit or progression to accompany them. Gerrard has a combination of bad times or timing (Saturn-Saturn), being in a negative spotlight (Neptune-Sun) and negative action (Neptune-Mars) with unespected drama (Uranus-Pluto) linked his name to assault. The progressed aspect of Sun with Uranus probably will cause more upheavel and hectic times later in 2009.

Posts about Sun and Neptune
http://astropost.blogspot.com/2008/12/effect-of-sun-neptune-combinatons.html

and suspects...
http://astropost.blogspot.com/2007/12/missing-people-re-release-of-joran-van.html

The International New Year's chart

Soon it will be January 1, 00:00 all over the world, but as the Sun moves over the meridians and the New Year will start where the Sun rises first, there will be different charts of New Year. Here you find some of those charts (for Washington, New Delhi, Peking, Rabat, Reykjavik, Caracas), something about the meaning of the charts and some historical New Year's charts (Berlin, London and Warsaw). If angular positions in the New Year's chart have a meaning, than there it will be an important year for Iceland, Venezuela and Morocco. Those are the countries with an angular placement at the moment of the most important midnight of the year.



Mars and Pluto were square in the radix of 2002, semi sextile in the radix of 2003, sesquisquare in 2006, opposition in 2007 and sesquisquare again in 2010. In 2009 the conjunction of Mars and Pluto will be more or less close to the meridian, depending of the place on earth. And the Moon will be in Aquarius (in Asia and Europe) or in Pisces (in the America's). The different Midheavens and Ascendants and the different position of the Moon make a difference in perception. I will show this with the charts of Caracas, Rabat, New Delhi, Washington, and Reykjavik. Does this chart of a place and moment in time mean a thing, I wondered? So I searched in history and found interesting charts of New Year's Day 1945 in Berlin and London and of the New Year in Warsaw, Poland, in the year 1939. You see them when you scroll down. These chart have significant positions on the angles. So I guess that angular positions are the most important in this chart. And I know that they are important in natal charts, too.

ANGULARITIES

In Reykjavik (capital of Island) Uranus is opposition the Ascendant when the New Year starts. Uranus is the symbol of independence and of 'unions'. Iceland wants to join Europe now that the country is almost bankrupt. Iceland is also the country of eruptions (geysers) and as it happens Uranus is the planet of shocks and explosions.

Just like in the chart of Rabat, the chart of Caracas has Mars opposition Midheaven. In Rabat it could be related to an attack, accident or...just firework. But they have to be alert for fire. Caracas also has Uranus sesquisquare ASC and Uranus related to ASC/MC. It looks like the chart of a revolution or sudden unexpected struggle. Perhaps the electricity just stops working.

MOON IN THE FIFTH
When the Moon is in the fifth house there is a need to show off and perform and in Aquarius new technologies might be demonstrated in 2009.

In Asia, and in particular in India, the Moon will be tightly conjunct Venus in the 5th house of fortune and that could be fortunate for women and children or for the improvement of human rights. In China this conjunction will perfect later that night. In the Eastern part of the USA (including New York and Washington) however, the Moon has past Aquarius and will be in Pisces when the clock strikes 12 and the firework starts.

Firework might be of crucial importance in Rabat, where Mars is exactly opposition Midheaven when 2009 begins. In Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris the conjunction of Moon and Venus was at 19:32 MET, too early to be significant for the New Year's chart. But Moon and Venus will be in the 5th house, unlike in the New Year's chart of Island. This is the only country that I know of with Moon and Venus in the 6th house in this chart.

DOES THE New Year’s CHART MEAN A THING?
Here are the charts of January 1, 1945 in Berlin and in London.


The differences are clear. It could be just coincidence, of course. But there is clearly victory (Mars + Jupiter = successes in wartime) in the chart of London. And the tightest aspect in Berlin is the planet of peace, Venus, trine the Midheaven, with a Midheaven exactly in the middle of Saturn and Uranus, symbolizing restricted freedom (occupation). And this is the chart of the Polish capital in 1939, the year that Germany invaded the country:


It is not likely that a single New Year's chart alone is reflecting the complete year ahead. It is just one of the general signs, and of course it takes more. Try it for yourself and you will see that looking back is easier than you think:). I will have a look back at this post in December 2009 (I hope:).
I wish you all a pleasant year ending and a good start of 2009 with Sun, Venus and Jupiter on the angles!

Mercury-Saturn for Science

On December 24, I was thinking about Mercury and Saturn. I gave a few examples of scientist (Van der Waals, Einstein and Asimov) with a tight aspect between Mercury and Saturn or with both planets prominent in their charts.
Now I collected more example charts to support the idea that Mercury-Saturn = officially recognized knowledge = science.

There is a differentiation in the way the Mercury-Saturn pattern shows itself. They are also different kind of scientist. Still, the picures almost speak for themselves. Where needed I added a comment in the drawing of the chart.








PS there is a minor 15 degree aspect between Mercury and Saturn in the chart of Hertz.

PPS Another example of Mercury conjunct Saturn is Tycho Brahe. Click for the post about his chart...

The difference between Patti Smith and Berti Vogts

I always use tight aspects. They make the difference, especially when the Ascendant, Midheaven or Moon is involved. When two people are born on the same day, the difference will be made by the positions of the Ascendant, Midheaven and Moon and by the change in rank in the list of tightest aspects.

On the 30st of December 1946 Berti Vogts (football player and trainer in Germany) and Patti Smith (rock singer, song writer) were , about 5 quarters of an hour after each other and with the Atlantic Ocean between them. Seek the differences in their charts:
Both have Uranus opposition ASC, but Patti Smith has a tighter opposition than Vogts has. Jupiter is the oriental planet in the chart of the man. Mercury (conjunct the ASC) is the oriental planet for Patti Smith. He is the international, she is the communicator and the rebel.

PATTI SMITH
Patti Smith has the pattern of talent in her chart. Neptune is conjunct the midheaven within 1,5 degree of orb. Venus is semi square Neptune and tightly trine Moon in Pisces.

Vogts has Neptune too far away from the Midheaven to be called 'conjunct'. He has Moon in Pisces, too, but the trine with Venus is a few degrees wider than it is in the chart of Patti Smit. Both have Sun connected with Saturn and Pluto by minor aspects (inconjunction and biquintile) but in the chart of Vogts the aspects are tighter.

The Midheaven of Patti is related to Mercury (quintile), Venus (semi square) and Neptune (conjunction). This expressed artistic talent used for a profession (Venus+Neptune) and creative communications.
The Midheaven of Berti Vogts is connected with Venus (semi quintile), Mars (binovile), Jupiter (semi sextile), Saturn (quintile) and Uranus (trine). That means that he has good insights (Jupiter and Uranus) and is a creative manager (quintile with Saturn) and that a certain passion (Venus+Mars) is involved in his career.

It is just a bit more than one hour and an ocean away, but the there is also a difference in their chars that starts unfolding itself in a picture created by constellations, positions and distances. The picture of of Patti is that of a person creatively communicating in a rebellious or controversial way, but always using her artistic talents. That of Vogts is that of a creative manager with a passion, a 'die hard' international who uses good insights in his career.

But there is something that they both have in their chart: Sun inconjunct Saturn for example. Vogts lost both his parents at age 12. Patti lost her husband, in 1994 and shortly later her brother. She was raised in a Jehovah's witnesses family (Neptune is often symbolizing religion, too).

It is clear (well, to me:) that tight aspects make a difference and that they make an important difference. But there is also, of course, the difference in gender, culture, class, nationality and genes that alter the perspective of the chart. Still, I think the differences in the charts of Smith and Vogts are appealing.

BTW Patti Smith is also known for her political actions (think of the Saturn-Pluto pattern). Click here to see the article on my site Astromarkt.

Astrology chart Madame de Pompadour

Several positions in the natal chart of Jeanne-Antoinette Poison, marquize de Pompadour, catch the astrologer's eye:

Jupiter elevated (on top of the chart)
Saturn, Mercury and Venus rising before the Sun
Venus on the Midheaven
Saturn on the Midheaven
Mercury on the Midheaven
Neptune square ASC (on a crucial spot below)
Moon square ASC (dito)

A. Venus conjunct Saturn is the tightest major aspect in her chart and Mars sesquisquare Pluto is the tightest minor aspect, illustrating the use or abuse of power and influence.

Venus and Saturn dispose of Taurus and Capricorn. Her Sun is in Capricorn, her Moon is in Taurus. The midpoint Venus/Saturn is conjunct the Midheaven and is repeated. Venus is conjunct Saturn/MC and Saturn is conjunct Venus/MC. This combination of the business of love and marriage (Saturn and Venus, arranged marriage) is ruled by the planet on top, Jupiter.

B. Moon, Neptune and Ascendant are in tight aspect, too, so that there is 3 times a combination of the 3 positions.

C. The combination of Saturn and Neptune is also of importance. Maybe that is indicating illnesses. In the solar return chart of the year of her death Neptune is opposition Midheaven. In her natal chart Neptune is at the North point, square ASC, reflecting possible vulnerability.

Venus+Saturn+MC >>>Jupiter...how to read that? I think it means ups and downs in her status and position as a woman.

Madame de Pompadour was married with a decent partner (selected by her parents). Her father may not have been her natural father and her mother was a prostitute before she married. She had children with this man. Life was not just luxury for her. Madame de Pompadour lost a child a year after he was born.

When the mistress of the king died, she was introduced to him and became his lover. That was in 1745, soon after her Sunsign changed in progression and in the year that the progressed Moon made the most fortunate aspect of them all: Moon trine Jupiter! A divorce was arranged. It seems that she had a special interest in literature and in her natal chart we see part of the pattern of artistic talent: Moon conjunct Neptune on a crucial spot and Venus on the Midheaven.

She remained a friend of the king, long after their sexual relationship had ended. But at a certain point it was all over. She was blamed for a war against Austria (Saturn on the MC!) and later she died due to tuberculosis, only 42 years old.

Samuel P. Huntington died

Samuel P. Huntington, the man of the theory of the clash between cultures in the future, died today. In the chart of the day that he was born, you clearly see the controversial or new ideas being promoted (Mercury-Uranus square Mars, all three related to Aries Point). The combination of Mercury and Mars relates to discussions. Mars and Uranus, in aspect with Mercury, might cause overheated and explosive disputes. On April 18, 1927 there was a picture of energetic thought provoking debates in the sky. Huntington was a political scientist.

I suppose that Pluto will have an important place in his individual chart. But also the Moon in Scorpio (ruled by Pluto) symbolizes the need to have a strategy or a defense. His first important work was about soldier and state. And his last was a sort of a warning for possible conflicts in the future.

Laura Bush: heiress of Eleanor Roosevelt

The printed magazine of Amnesty Netherlands ('Wordt vervolgd') has an article about Eleanor Roosevelt's 'shadow'. Eleanor Roosevelt gave the world the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. How do seven 'First Ladies' and one 'First Gentleman' follow in her footsteps? It is maybe not very amazing that Liu Yongqing (the silent wife of Hu Jintao) is overshadowed by Eleanor, but it may surprise you that Laura Bush ended as the number 1 on the list and named the official heiress of Eleanor Roosevelt, for several reasons. She personally called Ban Ki-moon after the demonstrations in Myanmar and she does a lot for the education, alphabetism, and health for women, prevention of AIDS in Africa and the situation of women in Afghanistan.
So both first ladies worked on human rights. And what do these first ladies have in common? It is a prominent Uranus!



PROMINENTLY CALLING URANUS…
Uranus is 'calling' these ladies! In the charts of both ladies Uranus is not making any Ptolemaic aspect in sign or orb 5 degrees. In the chart of Eleanor Uranus is on top and rising before the Sun and Mercury, so that she has an orientation on the theme of Uranus.
And in the chart of Laura Bush Uranus is square the midpoint ASC/MC and 157.5 (sesquisquare + half semisquare) from the midpoint Sun/Moon. That means that she is all in all and in heart and soul Uranus-minded.
We all know that Uranus when it comes to vocations means that you want to make the world a better place and to help people.

HER URANUS TRINE MC OF LAURA
Isn't it interesting that the Uranus of Eleanor Roosevelt is at 29d49m Virgo and Laura Bush's Midheaven is situated at 29d23m Capricorn? That links the prominent Uranus of Eleanor - symbolizing human rights at any level and above all- in a positive way to the 'vocation' of Laura Bush, strongly going into the same direction.

CERES: the lady on top
There is another position that the first ladies share. Both Eleanor and Laura have Ceres on top of their chart. Ceres symbolizes the goddess of nutrition, of genes and seeds but is always also the symbol of an important motherly figure. A first lady is a sort of a ‘mother of the nation’ and both had this position.

LAURA’s TRANSIT JUPITER
Right now Jupiter is in the final degrees of Capricorn and there will very soon be a conjunction with the Midheaven of the first lady who married the most unpopular president the USA ever had. But in HER chart we see a moment of success. And maybe it is just that appreciation coming from Amnesty International. Perhaps it is a welcome article these days (with transit Saturn and Uranus afflicting Uranus and Sun/Moon) now that she is forced to step back as a first lady and move to another place.

Here is the link to the (Dutch) article on the site of Amnesty Netherlands...

How (astrologically) Robert Schuller's son left Crystal Cathedral

The Crystal Cathedral, the famous television church founded by Robert Schuller, goes on without Robert Schuller's son Robert Anthony. They disagreed about the policy and of course, the son could not keep on trying to be the spitting image of his father, IMO. Instead of Robert Anthony there are now guest ministers from all over the world. The conflict between convictions and ways of 'spreading the word' lies first of all in the sesquisquare between their Jupiters. But there is much more...even without hour of birth.

Schuller was born September 16, 1924 in Alton and his son on October 7, 1954 in Blue Island. The Pluto of Schuller senior is exactly square the Sun of Schuller junior for the influence that he has on the life of his son if not the shadow of the father falling over the son. His Neptune is inconjunct his son's Mars. And there are more indications for difficulties in the combination of their charts. But let us see how their charts point at religion as a profession and at the present conditions of their charts.

ROBERT SENIOR
Robert Schuller is a gifted minister. On the day he was born, Neptune was rising before his Sun, conjunct Northern Node and in the 22nd degree of Leo. Recently Neptune was in the 22nd degree of Aquarius, opposition the natal Neptune. An opposition reflects 'the others' causing a problem. And Neptune versus Neptune and Node is a conflict about ideas or beliefs in a community.

SATURN = ELDERLY
If he was born early, Saturn would not make any aspect and be 'calling'. That is illustrative for his position as a father (also as a 'father' for his followers) and manager. In the charts of preachers and evangelists, Saturn is important. Their position creates a lot of responsibilities for the lives of their followers. They have a sort of an 'official' position and in protestant churches main figures in the community carry the title of 'elderly' and Saturn symbolizes the elderly. Think of Martin Luther King and Billy Graham. They both have an oriental Saturn (I mean Saturn rising before the Sun).

THE POWER OF THE WORD
There is a strong connection between Mercury, Jupiter and Pluto telling us about the power of the word and the price to pay for fame (Jupiter inconjunct Pluto). In October 2008, when he asked his son to step back, he had transit Jupiter opposition Pluto, activating the inconjunction in his chart.

ROBERT ANTHONY
His son Robert Anthony has a conjunction of Venus and Saturn in his progressed chart these days and that is an aspect that relates to the love for a parent and separation in relationships.
Transit Jupiter is opposition progressed Uranus and square progressed Neptune (He also has Jupiter square Neptune in his natal chart, also being activated right now). It is a combination of relief, a conflict between conviction and belief.

THE CONFLICT: JUPITER AND PLUTO
Both father and son have a conflict between Jupiter and Pluto in their charts and right now in their transits!

Transit Jupiter is inconjunct progressed Pluto (...) Just like the father has in his natal chart! The son mirrors this aspect in his natal chart. His Jupiter is semi sextile Pluto. In their composite chart Jupiter is sextile Pluto so that they were successful together. Father and son are sharing the aspect of the price to pay for success and... convictions! And that aspect in their lives is being activated by transit Jupiter right now.

Their is another way to explain Jupiter-Pluto conflicts in the charts of ministers. Pluto is the symbol of power and influence, policy and money. Jupiter is the 'way' (how to get to...). They already have Jupiter sesquisquare Jupiter in their natal charts and Pluto is intensifying the way that they are convinced of their own idea about the right direction (Jupiter). Jupiter's transits enlarges this conflict.

FRESH START
Robert Anthony Schuller has Jupiter conjunct Uranus in his natal and that aspect is also activated by transit these days. It is the tightest aspect in his chart and it means that he has to make a positive fresh new start. And it might be a relief, too.

MERCURY CONJUNCT SATURN
I have written about Mercury and Saturn in an earlier post. Robert Anthony Schuller has Mercury conjunct Saturn. This aspect strongly indicates that his opinion and the way he communicated was related to his father (Saturn) or other authorities. That aspect might be the reason that it took him so long to start inventing his own conviction and style of convincing others (Jupiter conjunct Uranus).

More about Mercury and Saturn
http://astropost.blogspot.com/2008/12/thinking-about-mercury-and-saturn.html
More about Jupiter and Uranus
http://astropost.blogspot.com/2008/12/jupiter-uranus-such-relief-and.html

Jupiter-Uranus: such a relief and sometimes death

Eartha Kitt and Harold Pinter died yesterday and both had a transit coming from Uranus with their natal or progressed Jupiter:

Transit Uranus conjunct progressed Jupiter
(Eartha Kitt)
Transit Uranus trine natal Jupiter
(Harold Pinter)

The combination of Jupiter and Uranus is the 'thank God'-combination, as Reinhold Ebertin called it. Transits of Uranus with Jupiter or vice versa often go together with a relief or a 'lucky thing' that accompanies a disaster. I have experienced myself that it can be a sign of a positive change in perspective (in times of diseases), or a material change (such as moving to a better place). Sometimes, when people are very old and ill, death is an escape from an endless suffering and in those cases the Uranus-Jupiter combination shows us that death can be a relief.

You can read about the natal charts of Eartha Kitt and Harold Pinter on my site 'Art&Astrology'. Here you see the transits and progressions of Eartha Kitt and the transits and natal chart of Harold Pinter, with the Uranus-Jupiter combination.

Everybody happy with Obama: Jupiter!

Everybody happy? It seems that over 80% of the Americans is happy with the way that the next president of the USA, Barack Obama, is doing. They are happy with the selection of his team, too. When everybody is happy with you, Jupiter is there! Jupiter is the symbol of content, progress and successes. Jupiter also provides you with good advices, good advisors and help is on the way when you need it. Jupiter is the 'positivo' of the planets. So when Jupiter is in contact with important positions in your natal or progressed chart, you can expect positive results. And transit Jupiter is making three wonderful aspects with the progressed chart of Barack Obama right now. There is a rule that I call 'the rule of 3'. When there are 3 indications, you almost cannot 'escape' the effect. Three indications coming from Jupiter is 3x hurray...You see the progressed chart here.

Jupiter rules the ninth house in the progressed chart. The ninth house is a fortunate house, as it's 120 degrees away from the Ascendant (just like the 5th). Transit Jupiter is conjunct his progressed Jupiter and trine his progressed Sun and Uranus. In his progressed chart Sun was already trine Uranus (for an easy and nice change in life) and Jupiter now makes it work the positive way.

(PROGRESSED) SUN/MOON MIDPOINT
There is another interesting observation in this progressed chart. I told you about the progressed Sun/Moon before. And about Obama's progressed Saturn and Pluto related to the progressed Sun/Moon midpoint in Obama's chart. The statesman and politician (Saturn and Pluto) are strongly related to his lifestyle in the progressed chart, so much more than in his natal chart.
Well, progressed Mercury is related to this progressed Sun/Moon midpoint, too. In the article on Astromarkt about presidents of the USA (and in fact politicians in general) I wrote that Mercury, Saturn, Pluto combinations refer to the political and strategical mind of the politician. Sun/Moon = Mercury, Saturn and Pluto...It says: he is in hearth and soul busy with strategy and politics right now.

And please calculate with me: his natal Sun/Moon midpoint is 7d57 Cancer. On January 16, 2009 transit Neptune will be sesquisquare this midpoint, exactly! And Neptune is the most elevated planet in his chart. Maybe it means that he cannot smoke in his own house any more:) He promised not to smoke in the White House, remember? And Jupiter will be crossing his ASC soon, so that it is the perfect moment to improve his conditions. Read about the smoker in the chart of Obama...

For all posts about Obama, click the label below.

MIDPOINTS
For those who are not familiar with midpoint combinations, an explanation. You find your Sun/Moon midpoint by adding the length of Sun and Moon and dividing the sum by 2... (Sun+Moon)/2
It is simply the point in the middle of Sun and Moon.

Any hard aspects (conjunction, half semisquare, semisquare, square, sesquisquare etc) with this midpoint produces a midpoint combination. The 3rd planet of the combination colours the way that you live your life in your own personal style.

PS
Notice that Obama's progressed midpoint ASC/MC is changing sign in January 2009. It means that he is in the middle of a crucial period of change. And maybe so is the country...

Thinking about Mercury and Saturn

Mercury-Saturn is a combination of planets that links knowledge to prestige and seriousness while practice and realism joins the world of communications. It is the combination of the business and management of officially renowned knowledge. It is also the combination that restricts and limits knowledge to a certain area and to an establishment of students and their masters. Few people read scientific studies, unless it is related to their specific field.
Of course the effect of the Mercury-Saturn combination is stronger when an aspect is tight or the planets are prominent in the chart (on an angle, rising before the Sun or without Ptolemaic aspects).


Saturn is often oriental in the charts of those who do an official or classical study first, because their parents want them to or because they want to be respected and have a decent foundation for the career. People with Saturn oriental are conscientious, responsible and serious.

Mercury is the planet of the young, the adolescent and the student. With a Mercury-Saturn combination in the chart the time of making fun and getting to know others (a partner perhaps) is restricted, limited and loaded with a burden of books to read. It is hard to be young with a Mercury-Saturn combination in the chart, because of the disadvantages of being a student. But there is another possible explanation of Mercury - Saturn. Saturn is also symbolizing age or time or delay.

In the charts of scientists it is easy to see the how and why of Mercury-Saturn. It is also there in the charts of people who are limited in communications or transportation in general, because of fear or because their abilities to communicate are limited*). Dutch poet Ingmar Heytze (born February 1970 in Utrecht, time unknown) has a tight square between Mercury and Saturn and he has been afraid to leave his home town until recently (after treatment). Saturn is also the symbol of fear...

JOHN D. VAN DER WAALS

John D. van der Waals was a physicist known for his work on an equation of state for gases and liquids (the 'Van der Waals-forces'). He started his academic study at the age of 25.

In his chart you see Mercury (disposing of the MC) calling and oriental, in a narrow conjunction (out of sign) with the Sun. Sun and Mercury are a close unit, with Saturn rising before them, calling!.
The Sun and Pluto are sesquisquare and Pluto is biquintile Saturn.
Mercury and Pluto are sesquisquare, too.
There is not a direct connection between Mercury and Saturn. Pluto is the 'missing link' and Pluto rules the 3rd house. He was a teacher before starting his studies.

You can see Mercury and Saturn in this chart as an 'oriental' combination of planets rising before the sun, in conjunction with the Sun. You can also see Mercury and Saturn 'calling'. Either way, they are important in this chart.

EINSTEIN

In the chart of Albert Einstein Mercury and Saturn are elevated and conjunct. That is symbolizing the fact that he was a scientist in a specific field. He is above all famous for his time related (Saturnal) message and ideas (Mercury). It seems that Einstein was not happy at school and that he felt the disadvantages (Saturn) of study (Mercury).

Einstein is famous all over the world. I like to contribute that to minor aspects of Jupiter and Pluto with his Midheaven (15d and quintile) and to the fact that Jupiter is rising before the Sun for the international orientation. This Jupiter in Aquarius is semi quintile Mercury and makes the Mercury-Saturn combination more tolerant towards new ideas.

ISAAC ASIMOV

Asimov was a professor of biochemistry and the author of several books about science and science fiction. He has a unique combination of the planets of science (Mercury-Saturn) with fiction (Neptune) in his chart and used all of the charts capacities. He was first of all the famous writer (Mercury angular and rising before the Sun. Notice the sense of style, arts and beauty that is symbolized by Moon in Taurus opposition Venus.

MERCURY AND SATURN FOR THE 'COMMON PEOPLE'
In the charts of less famous people the combination of Mercury and Saturn might refer to lost contacts, uneasy younger years due to hard discussions with the parents, restrictions at school, or whatever background that thought them the hard way that it is better to 'manage' what they say. And when they travel (or if...) they have to think about timing more than others have to do. Because their is always a chance that the car breaks down, the tickets get lost or the message didn't arrive in time...Mercury-Saturn combination narrows the mind and sometimes people with a hard aspect combination just don't want to hear, read or say what is not 'by the rules', 'in the book' or coming from an official or authority and they limit their information to the sources that they consider apropiate. It is then, that a prominent Jupiter like in the chart of Einstein or an Aquarius Midheaven with Neptune in opposition like in the chart of Asimov is a great help to explore the world of ideas that lies beyond the 'books'.

PROGRESSED CHARTS AND TRANSITS
Mercury-Saturn combinations in a progressed chart often refer to moments of saying goodbye (sometimes due to moving to other places and voyages, but also in times of divorces when you loose contact with the friends and family of a partner). There might also be a mental depression or 'dip', depending on the natal chart.

When a meeting is planned and there is a Mercury-Saturn contact somehow, there is a chance of being too early or too late and little chance of being on schedule.

*) A combination of Mercury-Saturn and Uranus sometimes limits the freedom to express an opinion.

Born on Christmas day and completely different...

It is almost Xmas. That makes me want to look at the charts of people born on December 25: Sissy Spacek, DJ Armin van Buuren, Anwar Sadat, Conrad Hilton and Karl Rove. The differences between their personalities and lives show that there is more than just sun signs! Their charts are below. There is another famous person born on Christmas Eve: the Austrian Empress Elisabeth (Sissy). Click for the earlier post dedicated to her life and to Romy Schneider who impersonated Sissy.

ARMIN VAN BUUREN
Armin van Buuren is a DJ born with a creative GOLDEN YOD between Mars, Jupiter and Pluto. Pluto is quintile Mars and biquintile Jupiter. He is not only active in music, but he also graduated in laws. Mars is in Sagittarius (for fighting the academic way) and rises before the Sun. That makes him first of all a fighter for justice. But there is also music…
Venus in Aquarius (sense of rhythm) is related to Uranus (sense of rhythm again!) and Neptune (artistic talents). His hour of birth is not known, but possibly his Moon is in the artistic sign Pisces.

SISSY SPACEK
Sissy Spacek is an actrice and you can see that in her chart. Neptune is in aspect with Venus in Aquarius and the Moon in Pisces. Venus is sesquisquare the Midheaven. That relates her artistic talent to her career.
Sissy Spaces has a Gemini Midheaven. Often ‘double signed’ Midheavens refer to more than just one career. There is another activity of Sissy Spacek. She is an activist for women’s lib. Mars and Uranus are angular in her chart and Uranus is on top. She is above all a person who wants to change the world, and she wants those changes ASAP!:)

ANWAR SADAT
Anwar Sadat was born with Pluto on the Midheaven, a strong statement for politics and power related to the career. Pluto is conjunct Jupiter and opposition Sun and Venus. This combination indicates great success and support, but as the Sun is opposition Pluto he might also have enemies.

KARL ROVE
Karl Rove has Pluto on top of his chart and he is above all a politician, a man using a strategy. Pluto is prominent in this chart with Jupiter angular and Mars calling: a combination for successes.
Politicians often have a combination of Mercury, Saturn and Pluto in their charts. It means that they will experience hard verbal confrontations, that they may lie because they have to, and that they are ‘die hards’ in communications. The combination refers to the strategic mind. Karl Rove has the same combination in his chart, in minor aspects.

CONRAD HILTON
Conrad Hilton founded the Hilton concern. Jupiter was the first important planet rising before his sun and that is the sign for the international and the traveler. He knew how to draw attention and lead a company (Sun was ‘calling’!, not making Ptolemaic aspects in sign or orb 5 degrees). He was charming and a diplomat, too (Venus was calling).


Five Capricorns born on December 25 with a completely different chart and life…

ARMIN VAN BUUREN

SISSY SPACEK

ANWAR SADAT

KARL ROVE

CONRAD HILTON

The effect of Sun-Neptune combinatons

This post is about the positive and negative effects of Sun-Neptune aspects in a natal or progressed chart. As this is a blog, this is the short version of the article that is on my site Astromarkt!, fully in Neptunic style (hidden behind a link:)...



AM I WHO I THINK I AM OR AM I WHO OTHERS SAY THAT I AM?
"It is easy to believe and it is easy to pretend with a Sun-Neptune aspect in your chart. You could be very naïve or a con man, but in a way your way of living has something ‘double’. Some of you may have a vivid dream life that can be more intense than the dull daily life you are living. Some actually have a double identity (as a spy, or having two families). And others just have a vivid imagination and create fantasies for a living. Actors with this aspect are often confused with the role that they have. And when there is gossip, it is not easy for someone with a Sun-Neptune aspect to show the truth. Read the post about missing people and the suspects in those cases: Sun-Neptune was there!"

"Am I who I think I am, or am I who other's think what I am?” said a person I knew. She had an oriental Neptune conjunct the Sun. Your image can be different from who you really are because embody the dreams and nightmares of others, you are their living fantasy. Of course this is not happening to everybody with a Sun-Neptune aspect. It only occurs when this aspect is tight and/or related to the Midheaven or Ascendant, the cross points in the chart that correspond with the individual identity."

Some of the examples in the article: Lisa Minelli, Pope Benedict, Barack Obama, Josef Fritzl and Elvis Presley.

For more about natal aspects, transits and progressions between Sun and Neptune, see my site Astromarkt in a new article...
For more about Neptune on this blog, just click on the Label Neptune here below...

The 'Inaugurationals' Aretha Franklin and Rick Warren

Aretha Franklin is going to sing on Inauguration Day, with Neptune opposition Midheaven, just like in her solar return chart (for the birthday in 2008), IF she was born at 22h30...Strange, as Neptune usually means deception and disappointment or false notes. But Neptune IS disposing of her 5th house (the house of creativity and performance). And she did it before, didn't she?
So let us hope for the best. Maybe the Neptunic influence means that she decided this to be her final performance before retiring.

THE ARTIST IN THE CHART
In the natal chart of Aretha Mercury and Neptune are in mutual reception, disposing of the Midheaven. Venus is opposition midheaven and the oriental planet in this chart. Venus is in Aquarius, square Uranus (and Saturn). We see artistic communications (Mercury and Neptune), strongly related to art and sense of rhythm. *)But there is also Jupiter inconjunct the Ascendant and that should warn her against growing too much in horizontal direction.

RICK WARREN
Another person who will be part of Inauguration Day is the controversial preacher Rick Warren (born January 28, 1954 in San José California) who has Sun and Venus afflicted by a square from Saturn and a quindecile from Pluto for having strong and restricted antipathies and sympathies. There is a lot of commotion about this man doing the prayers because of his ideas about homosexuality. And as he has 70% in fixed signs, most in Scorpio and Aquarius he is not likely to change his mind just like that!

CHOICES AND SATURN-URANUS
In an earlier post I mentioned that the tight inconjunction between Saturn and Uranus in the chart of Obama might reflect 'desperately hanging on to old concepts' (as AstrologyWeekly said).
This in spite of the changes that Obama keeps mentioning and that makes you think of something NEW. On Inauguration Day however, we will see a legendary soul singer (most famous in the 60's, the years of JFK) and a very conservative preacher highlighting the event. It makes me think of old concepts, back to the Sixties, again. But let us see what else there will be on the day of Obama's inauguration...

*)More patterns of artistic talents on my blog Art&Astrology

PS Aretha Franklin was not happy with her performance on Inauguration Day and blamed it to the freezing cold...

The chart of the day of birth of Bernard Madoff

How to understand what Bernard Madoff did? Let us have a look at the chart of the day of his birth and see what the most narrow aspects tell us about the potential and characteristics of people born on that day. Of course they did not all gain and loose a fortune. Of course the hour of birth of Madoff would provide us with crucial material (angular placements, Ascendant, Moon position and aspects). It is information that is now missing.It is also understood that not everybody born that day had the opportunity and environment to do as Madoff did.
Still, there is a lot to see on the chart of noon April 29, 1938 (NY), the day of birth and the rise and fall of the man who was once the chairman of Nasdaq and is now considered to be a fraud and a criminal.

SATURN
Bernard Madoff has a prominent Saturn in his chart. Being respected must be very important for him, just like it was for Jerome Kerviel and Nick Leeson, two other men with an important Saturn. It is a different story, of course, but it is a story with the same nasty effect: people lost a lot of money due to speculations. They could, all three of them, only do this because they had the trust of many who trusted their money in the hands of people who were supposed to be perfect and who would multiply what they owned.

In January 2008 I wrote about Jerome Kerviel and Nick Leeson . Apart from the prominent Saturn, what they shared was Mars and Neptune rising before the Sun. Madoff has Mars quindecile 105 degrees from a 'calling' (not aspected) Neptune. It is possible that either Mars or Neptune has an angular position. (But without HOB it is unknown).

JUPITER AND NEPTUNE
The progressed charts of Kerviel and Leeson had Neptune in a hard aspect with Jupiter, right on the day that the fairy tale ended. Jupiter-Neptune is a combination for speculations that is also found in the charts of religious people and in the charts of idols. In other words: in the charts of those who have a believing audience.
The hard aspect might point at the negative consequences (Neptune) of arrogance (Jupiter). It is not in the transit and progressions of Madoff. Of course it is a different story. His own sons gave him in. But it IS in his natal chart:
Jupiter AND Saturn are related to Sun/Neptune in his natal chart: there were fans and followers and they was a heavily disappointed. Also Neptune is prominent in his chart and Neptune did not move in all of his day because of retrogradation, and later goin direct. That is why a transit with Neptune is a transit with both Natal and Progressed Neptune. At a certain moment in his life progressed Neptune was conjunct Natal Neptune. And that might have been the moment where things went wrong...

TOOLS
Other tools for fraud on the day of his birth are shown by tight aspects and combinations of aspects, like:

1. Being inventive and having insight in future development
Sun is quintile Jupiter and conjunct Uranus: being inventive! Jupiter and Uranus are 75 degrees away from each other: obsession about future changes

2. A die hard in telling stories
Mercury is biquintile Neptune and 15 degrees from Saturn: being creative in telling tales and and lying in an obsessed way Mercury is also square Pluto: for having strong opinions. Now watch this combination... it has the potential of being a 'die hard' (Saturn+Pluto) in telling tales (Mercury and Neptune)!

3. Deeply disappointing acts
Mars and Saturn are septile and Mars-Neptune = 105 degrees: inspired by wrong actions and obsesses by mistakes. The Mars, Saturn, Neptune combination has the potential of criminal acts. Neptune is as strong as Saturn is.

4. Easy earned money
Venus square Jupiter and sextile Pluto: great success in earning money. He had success when he started and gained so much that people started to believe in miracles.

5. Earth signs: the materialist
Fifty percent of his placements is in earth signs. That makes him a materialist.

RISE
When he started his firm in 1960 the progressed Sun was changing sign, right after being square to Jupiter and sextile to Pluto (an indication for success). Thirty years later this combination of aspects was repeated (in 1990)

THE END
Transit Uranus is inconjunct Progressed + Natal Neptune, transit Neptune inconjunct P Mars and the investors face the truth: they worshipped a person and he was only human. Solar Arc Neptune is inconjunct Mercury (having to give up on telling tales...). And I bet that there is more when his hour of birth is taken into consideration. WITH HOB we had more keys, but with this above you can easily see the man who wanted to make a career and who's capabilities were telling tales, earning money, being believed and being inventive. Unfortunately he also had the potential to do the wrong thing. And he did it.

CONCLUSION
In the right circumstances and with the right keys in hand this chart has the potential for earning a lot of money, possibly the wrong way. But only if you want to...

Astrology chart Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson's appearance at the Millionaire Fair has not remained unnoticed. Perez Hilton wrote a sour blog about her body and this must have been uneasy for her to read. The consternation is demonstrated by the transit of Uranus inconjunct her progressed Sun on a solar transit - Uranus day. Here you see her chart and the positions of Perez Hilton on the outside. Notice that both have a prominent Sun (for drawing attention) and both have an aspect between Mercury and Mars (that sharpens the tongue). The positions of their Mercury's and Mars's are in conflict with each other. That is perfect symbol of accusations, discussions and verbal fights.

Pamela Anderson has the Moon rising before her starry Sun on the Ascendant and that Moon is trine Venus. This means that she is an attractive beautiful woman and that her presentation (ASC) is an eye catcher:) Her Sun is quintile Uranus for being controversial the creative way...And Uranus is quindecile her Midheaven so that there is a strong focus on being in the news.

All in all, her name IS in the papers again. And even in this blog:) It is a pity that Uranus inconjunct her progressed Sun tells us that this 'being news' has a big BUT.

Astrology chart Perez Hilton

Perez Hilton is the nickname of a famous American blogger. His real name is Mario Lavandeira. Yesterday he was rather rude against Pamela Anderson and that of course attracts lots of visitors to his blog ...and even more advertisers. He asks 9000 dollar per week for one advertisement and claims to have 9 million visitors per day (that is been disputed). Perez Hilton is successful in earning money with blogging.

What on his birthday is the potential for a famous blogger?

We see Neptune rising before the Sun.
We see 50% of his pacements in fire signs
we see Uranus without aspects within 5 degrees
And a 'calling' Sun (no aspects in sign or orb 5 degrees)

The complete picture is that of an energetic person with an immeterial orientation (arts or ideology) and a 'CALL' TO BE CONTROVERSIAL IN THE SPOTLIGHTS
The Sun is sesquisquare Uranus, so that it might be frustrating sometimes to live life with adrenaline at a high level.

His individual birth chart must have crucial placements on the angle to enforce and activate this potential, but as his hour of birth is unknown, I cannot be sure.
BTW The urge to gain money is expressed by the opposition of Venus and Pluto, the attacks with words come from Mercury square Mars and trine Saturn, but there is also (Mercury and) Venus trine Neptune...Perez Hilton makes an art of communications.

Astrology chart Tycho Brahe; Ceres and Pallas square Midheaven

Tycho Brahe was an astronomer. He also was an astrologer. It is easy to see how both sides are united in his professional career:

1. Sagittarius Midheaven, ruled by Jupiter in Aquarius, disposed by Uranus in Virgo, disposed by

2. Mercury in Capricorn and Capricorn ruled by Saturn in Sagittarius.

You see the Jupiter-Uranus connection that is indispensable in the charts of astrologers and astronauts and frequent in the charts of modern popes. It is the combination of having a view at things that go beyond earthly matters and matter. This combination is confirmed by Jupiter in connection with Sun/Uranus. Uranus symbolizes a lot and for example the extra terrestial, since Uranus is the first planet that is not visible from earth. In the days of Brahe Uranus had not been discovered yet.

You also see Mercury and Saturn involved. Mercury and Saturn are rising before the Sun of Tycho Brahe. It is the combination of science (respected knowledge) and the oriental placement symbolizes that Brahe was first of all a scientist.

CERES AND PALLAS (Patterns of resources)
Ceres and Pallas are recent additions to the astrologer's vocabulary. And both are strongly related to the Midheaven and conjunct. Ceres is the planet of resources (nutrition, nurturing mother, alma mater, seed) and Pallas is the symbol of patterns. Brahe was searching the sky and Brahe was practising alchemy to find patterns in the basics and origins of life.

FAME: SATURN CONJUNCT MERCURY
In 1572 he found a super nova in Cassiopeia and became famous in the world of astronomy. That was with Progressed Saturn conjunct Mercury! You see the strong scientific symbol that was oriental in his natal chart, in conjunction in progression, announcing the start of a scientific career with status.

LEAVING DENMARK: CHANGING MC AFTER PROGRESSED CONJUNCTION OF SUN AND PLUTO
In 1597 he had conflicts with the new king and the church and left Denmark for Prague when his progressed Midheaven changed sign to Aquarius. In the progressed chart Pluto had become the oriental planet, since in 1596 there was a progressed conjunction of Sun and Pluto (for a life changing challenge).

THE SCAR: PROGRESSED ASCENDANT CONJUNCT MARS
Try and see for yourself how amazingly accurate this chart is. The progressed chart of the days around Christmas in 1566 is conjunct his natal Mars. Mars symbolizes injuries and scars. In those days a fellow student hit his nose in a duel in the dark. For the rest of his life he tried to hide the scar with artificial means. Venus and Pluto with the Ascendant could of course symbolize extreme vanity:)